Gas-lift starting valve



July 2, 1929. c. c. CARLISLE GAS LIFT STARTING VALVE Filed March 28, 1927 J N c A Z. 4 M 2 mwr` A a ,l a ///7/////// 0 0 Patented July 2,1929.

CHARLES c. CARLISLE. or oHEYnNnE, wyonme. i

'easmnrr sranrme vALvn Application and umn as, 1927. 'aerial No; 179,159. i

The invention relates to improvements in gas or air lift llow` devices by insertingat proper intervals one or more' gas lift starting valves as hereinafter described, in the eduction or inthe induction pipe of. the gas lift flow device, for the purpose of admittlng gas by successive stages into the 'column of liquid or fluid to be raisedor flowed from a well.

The special object sought and attained by' v10. 'this invention is the production o f eflicient apparatus ca able. of being placed and operatedwithin wel s of customary size and such as are already in existence. This is rendered possible primarily through the-special construction of valves and controlling floats herein set forth,- whereby they ma be of small dimensions Ayet effective to unction under such pressure as may be redetermined and estabi lished by suitable are: a

First, to provide a means whereby the gas lift may be started to operate at a relatively low gas pressure. j

Second, to enable the gasv lift to resume 0peration in case the flow should be-checked or retarded long enough -to cause it otherwise to cease. f

Third, to enable the gas lift flow to be started when theJrock pressureis not sul'licient to permit a gas pressure to be built up vin the well to start a flow of liquid through the eduction pipe.

A preferred `form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which:

justment. Other objects well provided with a casing, and containing a lurality of -valves and attendant parts emodying my invention;

vthe valves and connected parts and of the casing containing the same; l

.Fig-3, a horizontal sectional View on the y line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4, an elevationof a 'portion of theinner pipe of the well on the line 4-4' of Fig. 3, showing said pipe in full lines and the valve and itscasing in section.

Referring first to Fig-1, A designates an yFigure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a' Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of one of eduction pipe and A the well .casing encomv passing said pipe,v and provided with a head or cap E which forms a closure for the casing and asupport from which the eduction pipe is suspended. The head, or ca E is provided with an opening with whic is connect. 65

ed an induction pipe F. In the event'that the well vis drilled through solid rock and a casing 1 be not employed, the head or cap E will be a plied to a short length of caslng tightly fitted and advisably cemented, into the bore of 6'0- the well, toseal the same. The suspended pipe A is preferably left open at lits lower end, and is advisably provided with holes or openings Gat a point a short distance above its lower extremity. v K i 65 At suitable points in its length, depending upon the depth of the well and the level to which the oil naturally rises in any given case, the pipe A is provided with valves having actuating and control devices of the'char- 70 acter illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and A4:. Each such valve -is provided with a cover or housing D fashioned to fit snugly against the pipe A, v

. and secured thereto by tap screws or bolts.

Each housing D is provided with portsO, O, shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and by dotted lines in Fig.- 4, and with vents or openin V through which oil may escape slowly rom the valve housing, allowing the valves B, b to remain open for a short period of time after so the gas column has passed downward, and until it has reached the next lower valve if there be one, or the normal gas ports below.

Each valve comprises 'a valve shell 2, here shown of' approximatel square form, and 85 having a threaded tubu ar boss or neck' M, which in practice is screwed into a suitably tapped opening in the suspended pipe A. The shell 2 has an opening in its upper and in its llower wall, each reamed or beveled at itsI 9o upper edge to receive respectively a conical upper -Valve B and similar lower valve b,-

' each carried by a valve rod or stem S extending both above and below the respective valves, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The valves 95 B and b are properly spaced. to cause their simultaneous'seating and unseating.- These valves and their seats are shown of. like dil mensions, but may be of relatively different measurement, with consequent differential action, if in any case this he deemed desirable.

The upward extension of valve rod S is encircled by a helical spring C, resting at its lower end upon an upper horizontal arm of a bracket al, conveniently secured to the valve shell 2 and erforated for the passage of the valve stem t irough'it, whereby the bracket is caused toserve also as a guide for said stem. The spring C is compressed to a proper degree by a nut c screwed upon the threaded upper end of the upward extension of the valve stem, with a suitable washer interposed as usual. By varying the adjustment of the nut c, the compression of spring C may be varied asrequired. Asimilarly perforatedhorizontal lower arm of bracket d serves as a guide for the valve stem or rod below the shell 2. The bracket d is shown in Fig. 4 as made in two arts, but it may obviously be made integral. ither arm, or each of the arms, of the bracket may also serve as a stop to limit the rise of valve stem S and the valves and floats carried thereby.

Carried by the valve rod or stem S is a float J, of any suitable construction, here represented as a hollow sheet metal structure, en-

eompassing, and secured in any convenient way to, the valve rod. This float-is necessarily of small diameter so as to have proper clearancebetween the pipe A and the housing D, which latter must clear the casing or wall of the well. Below float J is a cup or receptacle H formed of or lined with, iron, steel, or other substance unaffected by mercury which it is designed to contain. Other dense liquid or a solution of high specific gravity may be employed in lieu of mercury, though mercury is deemed preferable. If a liquid which does not attack or injuriously aect thecup H be employed, the cup may be made of any suitable metal or alloy.

The cup H is formed with an open upper end threaded to receive a sealing cap. or plug I, which cap is formed with a depending tubular neck e having at its lowerextremity an opening sufficient to permit free movement of the valve rod or stem S through it, but with only sufficient clearance to aord free movement. The neck e is of such length that the annular space about it shall be sufficient to hold the charge of mercury (Hg) contained within the cup H at such times as the cup may be in other than in its upright position, as in handling the same during attachment of the valve casing and the cup to the pipe A, or when the mechanism within housing D is detached from said pipe. The cup H is shown provided with lugs or ears at its up er and lower ends, perforated to receive tap olts or screws by'which it may be secured to the pipe A, said screws or bolts entering tapped holes in said pipe, and the cup H being axially alined with the valve openings and valves considerable lifting effect upon the valve rod and valves. The small dimensions of the float and its immersion in mercury, permit the float and its containing cup H to be placed within the housing D though the latter projects but a short distance outward from the suspended pipe A. This is a feature of marked importance in a gas lift floating device or starting valve, since the entire valve mechanism with its housing, occupies but small space and does not materially 'or appreciably reduce the area ofi' the annular space between the suspended pipe and the wall or casing of the well, and hence is capable of application to practically all oil wells now in use.

The fioats L and J, which latter is buoyed by the oil entering the housing D when the oil it at a height suliicient so to enter the houslng. afford a considerable lifting force tending to unseat valves B and This Jforce is supplemented by the spring C, the special utility of which, however, is to afford a simple and convenient means of varying at will the aggregate lifting force to suit the special conditions existing in any particular well. The floa-tL will tend at all times to lift the Valve stem and valves, but the float J will lose its lifting effect when the level ofi the oil in the annular space between the induction and discharge pipes falls below the level of the bottom of the float, and said float will then,

Y to the extent of its weight, tend to draw the and discharge pipes, the adjustment being' such that the opening of the valves will be in sequence, beginning with the topmost valve of the series.

In Figs. 2 and 4 the valves B and b are shown as resting upon their respective seats, hence closing and sealing the shell 2 against the ingress of gas from the space between the induction pipe A and the eduction pipe A, and precluding the passage of gas through the tubular neck M to the eduction pipe A. This illustrates the condition or adjustment of the valves B, b and the floats J and L in any housing D a'bove the level of the oil in the induction pipe or chamber, due, as indicated to the fact that under such .conditions the weight ofV float J is acting in opposition to float L and spring C, whereas in the housings D below the level of the oil in the induction ipe or chamber, the iloat J through its uo anc when surrounded by or immersed in t e oi acts to aid float L and spring C and increase the aggregate lifting effect. As a result, the highest valve mechanism below the upper levelor surface of the oil in the annular induction space or chamber, will have its valves lifted or unseated, while all above that level will be seated.

From the foregoing explanation it will be seen that if gas or air be forced under adequate pressure into the annular space between pipes A andA, or in'other words, into the induction pipe, it will force down the `oil inv said space until the level of the oil passes below an open valve, since the float J will rewill of course expand or upwardly extendthe column of oil in the eduction pipe until .the top of the column reaches and flows out through the top of said eduction pipe.

In this way the flow of the oil is started,

and the entrance of gas or air into the induction pipe or chamber is advisably made continuous, though brief intermissions may occur without materially interfering with the -continuity of action. Such continuing inflow-of gas will further depress the levelof the oil in the induction chamber and gradually carry the level thereof to a point below the next succeeding valve, if there be another, whereupon the gas will enter the eduction pipe through such valve while the valves above will be automatically closed. This continues until the level of the oil in the induction pipe or chamber is forced below the lowermost valve, and until the gas enters the lower end of the eduction pipe through the perforations in the lower end of the pipe, or if these be not provided, then through the open lower extremity of the pipe. When this point isreached the pressure of the gas or air-may be greatly reduced, in some cases to a point as low as one-tenth of the ressure heretofore required in starting the ow and maintainin it until the level of the oil in the induction c amber is lowered to or nearly to the lower end of the eduction pipe.

As soon as gas begins to pass through the ports of valves B, b in a valve shell 2, 'the liquid supporting the float in the float chamber formed by the valve housin D and the tubing to which it is attache begins to drain slowly out through the lower orifice or emulsifythe oil from the or vent V, Fig. 2, allowing the float J to settle until `the valves B, b close their ports,

thus cutting olf the gas flow through thegas As statd, the description just given is predicated \upon the placing of the'valves and their actuating devices `in the outer and annular chamber, or between the well .casing j orpi e' A andthe central and'sus ended ipe lThe valves and the flowl ofoil may,

owever, be reversed, that is to say, the suspended central ipe-may become the yinduction pipe, and t e outer pipe or well casing may serve as the eduction pipe. .In vsuch case the valves would need to be reversed, and might be placed within the inner pipe.

This, however, is undesirable because the efective area of the central pipe is materially less than that of the outer pipe. As above pointed out, the wall of the bored or drilled Well, when no casing is employed,

`constitutes the wall of the outer chamber,

and this chamber may contitute either the gas induction or the oil eduction pipe 0r chamber. Similarly, the suspended central pipe may constitute either the oil eduction or the gas induction pipe, and th'e term pipe as used in the claims is to be understood as comprehending the bored or drilled well, when no casing is employed, and

lthe casing when such casing is used. In

other words, the uncased well and the well casing are the well-known equivalents in this art and for the purposes of pressure-fluid lift or flow-starting devices. A

The purpose of housing D is two-fold:

` first, to protect the valve and floats, particularly when placing vthe pipe within the well or well casing or removing it therefrom; and second, to prolong the period dursequently the yseating' of the valve or valves takes place. This gradual seatingv is due to the facts that the opening at the lower end of the housing is quite small, and that ,liquid escaping from the housing will escape somewhat slowly while the level of the oil or other liquid 1n the space between the inner pipe and the Wall or casing of the well may fall quite rapidly. The larger openings O at the upper end of the housing, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, permit the rapid filling of the housing when the oil or liquid reaches their level, and provide a passage for gas between the vinsideand the outside of said housing.

I have shown and described two means for counter-balancing the valve, valve stem, and

float J, to wit, the mercury-buoyed float L and the springC. In practice, the lloat L is in some instances omltted; in others, the spring Chas been omitted; and in still others, bothsaid float L and spring C have been 0mitted,lit being found that if the loat J 'be of proper buoying capacity the device is 105 ing which the descent of theiloats and con- 0 erative with either counterbalancing dev1ce, or without either the float L or the spring C.

l. A. pressure-Huid oil-flowing apparatus of the character described, comprisin a pressure-fluid induction pipe; an oil e uction pipe; a passage aording communication between said pipes; a valve controlling said passage; a spring tending to unseat said valve; and a float in the induction pipe, connected with the valve stem, and tending to seat or unseatthe valve as oil in said pipe falls below or rises to float-buoying level.

2. A pressure-Huid oil-flowing apparatus of the character described, comprising a pressure-Huid induction pipe; an oil eduction pipe; a passage aordin communication between said pipes; a va ve controlling said passage; a spring tending to unseat said valve; a float. in the induction pipe, connected with the valve stem, and tending to seat or unseat the valve as oil in said pipe falls below or rises to float-buoying level; and means for adjusting the effective force of said spring. s

3. pressure-fluld oil-flowing apparatus of the character described, comprising a pressure-fluid induction ipe; an oil eduction pipe; a passage affording communication between said pipes; a valve controlling sald passage; a sprinor tending to unseat said valve; a mercuryuoyed float acting in conjunction with said spring; and a second float in the Iinduction pipe, connected with the valve, and serving to supplement the valveunseating action of the spring and the mercury oat when the oil in the induction pipe is at a level to lift said tloat, but acting in opposition to the spring and the mercury goat when the oil falls below said second oat.

4. A pressure-fluid oil-flowing apparatus of the character described, comprising two pipes arranged one within the other; a passage aft'ording communication between said pipes; a valve controlling said passage; and a float device tending normally to open said valve, said device comprising a float receptacle provided with a sealing cap having a downwardly extending tubular neck provided with a passage for the stem of said valve, a float within said receptacle carried by the valve stem, a dense liquid contained within said receptacle and serving to buoy said float and partially counterbalance the valve, the space encompassing the depending neck of the sealin cap being sucientto contain the entire liquid charge of the receptacle when said receptacle is inverted or thrown from its normal vertical-position of use, and a second ioat carried by said stem and adapted to be raised and lowered by and in consonance with the rise and fall of liquid within the space between the pipes.

with openings permitting communication bef tween its interior and the annular well space encompassmg the pipe; a valve shell within sald housing, having a passage connecting its mte'rior with the interior of the pipe and provided with a valve seat; avalve movable to and from said seat for permitting or preventing, according to adjustment, communication between the interior of said lpipe and the interior of the housing; a stem carried by sald valve; and a ioat within said housing carrled by said stem, and serving when lifted by the rise of liquid within the housing to unseat said valve, and when lowered through fall of said liquid to seat the valve and close communication between the valve shell and the interior of.` the pipe.

6. A pressure-fluid liquid-owing apparatus of the character described, comprising two concentric pipes arranged one within the other a housing carried on the exterior of the inner pipe and provided with openings at'- iording communication between its interior and the annular space between the pipes; a gas valve within saidV housing controlling communication between said pipes and havlng a stem extending to a oat receptacle; a float receptacle containing a dense liquid; a float within the receptacle, carried by the valve stem and buoyed by said liquid; a closure for said float receptacle serving to seal said receptacle against egress of the floatbuoying liquid; and a second float carried by said stem within the housing, adapted to be raised and loweredl by and in consonance with the rise and fall of liquid within said houslin g. In a pressure-Huid liquid-flowing apparatus of the character described, comprising two concentric pipes arranged one within the other; a housing carried by the inner pipe and provided with openings aording communication between its interior and the annular space between the pipes; a valve within said housing, controlling communication between said pipes and provided with a stem; and a valve-opening mechanism comprising a float connected with said stem, a liquid-containing chamberl within which the float is placed, mercury within said chamber servin to buoy said float and counterbalance the va ve, a' closure for saidchamber adapted to prevent escape of mercury, and a second float carried by said st'em within the housing, adapted to be raised and lowered by and in consonance with the rise and fall of liquid within said housing.

8. In combination with the wall or casing of a well having a cap or closure at its upper end, a pipe passing through said cap and depending therefrom within the well or casing; a. valve shell carried by the pipe, having a passage connecting its mterior with the interior 'of the pipe and provided with a valve seat; a valve movable to and from said seat for permitting or preventing, according to adjustment, communication between the interior of said pipe `and the encompassing well space; a stem carried by said valve; a 

